More that 100 Agudath Israel rabbinic and lay leaders from
around the world have arrived in Bournemouth, England for a
conference of the international board of the Agudath Israel
World Organization (the Vaad Hapoel Ha'olami) that began
Monday afternoon. The gathering will focus on a host of
issues of deep concern to the world Jewish community,
including many pressing concerns regarding Jews and Judaism
in Eretz Yisroel. It is the first such gathering since the
petirah of Agudah leader Rabbi Moshe Sherer,
zt"l.
At the opening session, Agudath Israel World Organization
chairman Rabbi Yehuda Meir Abramowitz read the letters given
to him by the gedolei hador as he visited them just
before leaving for the conference. Rabbi Abramowitz read
letters from HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Aharon Yehuda
Leib Steinman, the Admor of Gur, the Admor of Vishnitz and
the Admor of Belz. R' Yitzchok Meir Zimmerman, deputy
chairman of Agudath Israel of England greeted the conference.
Also speaking were HaRav Yosef Tzvi Dunner, the ravad
of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, HaRav Shlomo
Klagsbald of Belgium, Rabbi Menachem Porush of Israel, Rabbi
Yechezkel Besser of the U.S., and Rabbi Yehoshua Bloch of
Switzerland.
According Rabbi Abramowitz, a number of issues concerning
Eretz Yisroel will be addressed at the gathering, including
security and political concerns, the effort to counter the
import of "Jewish religious pluralism" to the Jewish State,
the campaign for shemiras Shabbos, controversial
recent Israeli High Court rulings and the Tal Commission bill
concerning military service for bnei yeshiva.
All of United Torah Judaism's Knesset members are among the
delegates from Israel scheduled to address the gathering.
The situation of Jews in the lands of the former Soviet Union
will also occupy a prominent place on the conference agenda.
A session on the topic will feature Rabbi Yaakov Bleich,
Rabbi Pinchos Goldschmidt and Rabbi Moshe Kishon, the Chief
Rabbis of Ukraine, Moscow and Azerbaijan, respectively.
A major highlight of the conference will be Tuesday evening's
special session on "The Vision and Responsibility of the
World Agudah" featuring Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller, rosh
hayeshiva, Yeshivas Telshe, Chicago; Rabbi Betzalel
Rakov, av beis din (Gateshead); Rabbi Yaakov Meir
Rosenbaum, rosh hayeshiva, Lev Simcha (London); and
Rabbi Shmuel Akiva Schlesinger, rav of Strassbourg.
A session will be dedicated as well to the media and their
attitude toward Orthodox Jews and Judaism. Addressing the
issue will be Rabbi Yisroel Eichler, editor of Hamachane
Hacharedi, and Yonason Rosenblum, Am Echad's Israeli
director and columnist for the Jerusalem Post.
Among other topics that will be discussed at the conference
are the preservation of Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe,
the fair distribution of Holocaust restitution funds, the
role of Agudath Israel World Organization in the United
Nations and international affairs, Keren Hashevi'is and Daf
Yomi.
American Agudath Israel leaders making presentations at the
conference include Rabbi Chaskel Besser, Rabbi Shmuel Bloom,
Rabbi Reuven Dessler, Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, Reb Yechiel Ben
Zion Fishoff, Reb Yosef Friedenson, Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin,
Reb Avrohom (George) Klein, Professor Moishe Zvi Reicher, Reb
Gedalyah Weinberger and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel.
Agudath Israel of America executive director Rabbi Boruch B.
Borchardt, who helped organize the conference and will be in
attendance, noted, "We haven't had a full meeting of the
entire World Agudah board in a number of years, and it is
deeply gratifying to see such a meeting take place.
"The addresses and discussions taking place this week in
Bournemouth," the veteran Agudath Israel leader continued,
"will surely do much to clarify the responsibilities faced
today by the World Agudah."
